My Key will not turn left all the ways and is stuck in the ACC position HELP

[964RunnerOwner]

I went to K-Mart to return a Christmas gift I did not need tonight
and when I got home and tried to shut my 1996 Toyota 4Runner Ltd
off the Key would not turn all the way to the left and stuck in
the ACC position and would not come out.

I played with it by starting it up and trying to turn it off
and remove the key about 15 time before it finally come out.

So I tried my spare backup key my wife uses every now and then
and it did the same thing and took me 15 min to finally get it to
come out.

What is wrong here and how do I fit it?

I bought the truck in 2004 from Texas on E-bay and
had it shipped to PA and owned it since. It had
121K miles on it and now it has 160K and overall
has been a nice truck.

Any ideas on what to do as I am scared to drive it
now and have the Key stick in the ignition and kill
the battery or someone may just drive off with it?

 

[Chaser999]

If this is the first time it happened you may have just put the key in at a slight angle. This happened to me with my old 99 and i realized that i was forcing the key in.

This may not be it but just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[kball]

When the key is stuck, disconnect your battery. If the key comes out okay then you have a problem with the shift interlock (I think that's what it's called) in the center console.

You can also try playing with the shifter. Move it through the gear selections and then try the key again.

 

[alaskaflyer]

I had the same exact problem, it is correct, if this happens you can just disconnect your battery and the key will come out. I also had indications of a weak starter at the same time, so I went to replace the starter brushes and noticed that the connector on the starter was broken, so I just replaced the whole starter instead of just the brushes and I haven't had my key get stuck in ACC since. May or may not be related.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

This is a really easy fix. I had this happen to me in my old Mercedes and wouldn't you know it's the same in my 4runner.

Next time it happens, just cycle the shifter from park to low and back. should come out.

 

[ukancallmebubba]

This is a really easy fix. I had this happen to me in my old Mercedes and wouldn't you know it's the same in my 4runner.

Next time it happens, just cycle the shifter from park to low and back. should come out.

just bought mine its a 96 runner and would ya know the wife wanted to drive it to work on a rainy day instead of the mustang and she got stuck at a down town parking lot for 30 min. trying to get the key out. it has happened to me ever since. i feel like a guy with ocd when i get home . putting the tranny in park neu reverse drive hundreds of times till it decides to let me out. neighbors probaly think i have a problem cause i get home and start rolling forward and backwards till it comes out ....every damn night.
* park /neutral sensor on tranny*** looks like easy fix will keep ya posted.
:redbrick:

 

[dave_mcmillan]

This is similar to what happened to me...my problem turned out to be with the ignition cylinder...The key would not turn at all. I had to have it towed and took the dealer they charged me $240.00 for a new ignition cylinder. I now have 2 keys 1 for lock and 1 for the ignition:violin:...the dealer did offer to get all the doors keyed to the lock for around 500.00 :flipoff:...I have also heard that this happens when the keys get worn. If you have the key number (check your manual there should be metal tag in it) you might try to get a new one made it may resolve it and will be a lot cheaper than my route.

 

[BigD91]

Ive had my first runner for about two weeks now and I love every thing about it. Last night I got home and tried to pull my key out and had the same problem. It does come out when I cycle through the gears but I dont understand what would cause this. I have tried multiple keys and nothing seems to work. What is the best way to get this fixed.
Thanks

 

[KennethTRD]

So I changed my Ignition Lock Cylinder and I'm having the same problem as well

Ok so I have a 1996 runner 2wd and it's been failing in giving the key back quite some time, so I changed my Ignition Lock cylinder but now the new one does the same thing.... idk what else to check, I've checked around and people have their keys won't start the rig, mine is different, any suggestions

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Ok so I have a 1996 runner 2wd and it's been failing in giving the key back quite some time, so I changed my Ignition Lock cylinder but now the new one does the same thing.... idk what else to check, I've checked around and people have their keys won't start the rig, mine is different, any suggestions

Did you happen to read this thread?

 

[SpidermanGeek]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...gnition-computer-shift-lock-control-help.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/87168-cobikers-96-ltd-build-2.html#post766817

Having had enough of my key getting stuck in the ignition this past week, I opened up my shifter cover and took a look at what was causing the problem. It seems that the shifter wasnt "catching" the key lock switch properly when in Park.

Here it is in Reverse. The little black metal stud from the shifter lever should engage the white C-shaped plastic catch on the shift. With the switch down, the car thinks the shifter is not in park and will prevent release.

Here it is properly engaged in Park. Switch up- key releases.

Over time, the parts have developed looseness or wobble. My shifter cover was also missing one bolt out of three total. This allowed the shifter lever too much sideways movement, which eventually led to the stud not catching on the switch.

While at it, and although I had no real problems shifting, I also took out and checked the shift interlock switch. Seemed ok to me.

I snugged up a new bolt, tightened some screws and tried to push the metal stud further to the right. The key hasnt been stuck since then. Hopefully, this very minor procedure will solve this key stuck mystery, at least until I can think of a more permanent solution .

 

[TXRick]

I had same problem, just unplug the shift interlock switch.

 

[Grenvilleter]

I had this problem as well and my solution was to clip the striped green/white stripe wire (right hand side) shown in the photo above.

As a result, I no longer have to have my foot on the brake to shift out of park and accidental shifting into reverse is possible but the ignition switch solenoid is no longer functional.

Perhaps not the 'fix' that a dealership would do but no more stuck key in accessory position.

 

[T4R4thGenV8]

I was replacing a shift gear bushing on my 2003 V8 T4R and I thought I had done everything properly, but after checking the gears and all seemed fine, my key would not turn all the way left unless I disconnected the battery. I tried going into gears and all seemed fine, I tried wiggling steering-wheel while turning and nothing happened as far as engaging the key to turn to lock

thanks in advance

 

[Hungryhawk]

I have lubed my locks with spray silicon. Done a couple times a year it seems to help the feel of the key when turned.
Also do not use a heavy set of keys as the weight of the keychain put weight inside the lock core and over time wears the entire lock.
Plus most years have a complicated key core. I saved this screen shots from a good write-up on how to change your own.

 

[phattyduck]

I was replacing a shift gear bushing on my 2003 V8 T4R and I thought I had done everything properly, but after checking the gears and all seemed fine, my key would not turn all the way left unless I disconnected the battery. I tried going into gears and all seemed fine, I tried wiggling steering-wheel while turning and nothing happened as far as engaging the key to turn to lock

thanks in advance

Wrong section, but... The key cylinder lock dis engages when it 'thinks' that the transmission is Park. Trace down that path and make sure you are shifted into Park mechanically and that vehicle indicator lights show the same.

-Charlie

 

[T4Rbro]

I was replacing a shift gear bushing on my 2003 V8 T4R and I thought I had done everything properly, but after checking the gears and all seemed fine, my key would not turn all the way left unless I disconnected the battery. I tried going into gears and all seemed fine, I tried wiggling steering-wheel while turning and nothing happened as far as engaging the key to turn to lock

thanks in advance

Check the shifter at the other end of the cable, at the transmission. They need to be cleaned and lubricated with thin light weight oil, with graphite of you have available. Mine won't start in park most days and that's why. Stats in neutral just fine. Have gone through the shift selectors in can and the cable, all fine. The lower mechanism however I have to Curran and lubricate regularly as oil changes. It can throw CEL codes too. As for disallowing you to remove the key from cylinder it's registering as not in park. That sensor is in the shift position sensor inside the transmission itself. It resides directly where the soft mechanism bolts to the trans housing and there that shaft enters it immediately switches the sensor inside the trannie. From there the trans does its thing electronically through the solenoid controlled valve body. It's electro magnets and fluid like pressures and sittings and blah blah blah. The culprit in my experience is usually the shift mechanism at three bottom end of the cable. You replaced the shift selectors bushings in the cab, but now the cake sits where it should not where it was so that lower mechanism is more running in a slightly different position than it did before. You may need to clean and lubricate that shaft and then adjust the cable. Mine doesn't like going into first or park when it acts up and will not start in park even though the transmission is indeed in park and park pin engaged and dash light registers park. But it's a neutral safety switch being triggered by that bloody shaft being crudded up. I'll have to remove clean and maybe replace parts down there soon. Chlorinated brake clean and a stiff bristle brush then a thin light weight lubricant to flush all the crud and lube it. Then while you're living have somebody inside(truck off) move the shift selectors through all of the positions many times so the shaft gets thoroughly charged and lubricated and the seals get a chance to be reconditioned by the lubricant. Good luck! You'll need a permanent lube like lock lubricants not a penetrating oil like wd40 which doesn't stick around. No white lithium grease! No grease at all, it just gathers debris and hardens up. Graphite and light weight oils are best for cables and this shift mechanism, top and bottom ends. Graphite lube stains EVERYTHING so be aware before you start. Lick lube with PTFE (Teflon) and graphite is what works best for shift and throttle cables. Never gathered crud, never gums up like 3in1 oil, doesn't cause issues only lubricates.
Good luck finding the culprit, but that's where I'd start.